


Desert Rose

by Golden_Asp



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Anal Sex, Don't copy to other sites, M/M, Oral Sex, Sheriff Tony, Thief Bucky, Western AU, cowboy butt sex, older Tony, this was just an excuse for cowboy butt sex, winteriron rbb
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-24
Updated: 2019-09-24
Packaged: 2020-10-27 14:20:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20761763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Golden_Asp/pseuds/Golden_Asp
Summary: Deputy Tony Stark has been chasing the nameless thief across the country for two years.  He has a collection of hand carved wooden flowers that the man left for him in banks that he robbed.  Outside a small Nevada boomtown, he finally catches up to his thief and Tony decides he's never going back to New York.





	Desert Rose

**Author's Note:**

> Here is my Winteriron RBB piece. Thanks to my artist [feignedsobriquet](https://feignedsobriquet.tumblr.com) for giving me an excuse to write cowboy butt sex in the desert. 
> 
> not beta-ed

Tony looked around the bank, hands on his hips, hat tilted back. He blew out a breath and rolled his shoulders.

He was getting too old for this shit.

The jangle of his spurs echoed around the empty bank as he walked forward. He already knew what he would find; an empty vault, an empty bottle of damn good whiskey that always felt like a taunt, and a handmade wooden flower.

He’d been chasing this bastard from New York City and now he stood in the gateway to the west. Rhodey had tried to get him to give it up, but something about this guy just made Tony want to scream.

Or pin him against a wall and kiss him. Tony had no idea what he looked like beyond the varied descriptions of the people who had seen him, but Tony liked what he heard.

The first couple banks had been hit in New York City, just a little money stolen. Not enough to really raise suspicions, at least until the thief hit the bank that Tony’s father owned. Howard had long wanted Tony to follow his footsteps into banking, but that was boring as hell and Tony wanted nothing to do with it, thank you very much.

Add that to the society girls Howard and Maria kept throwing at him, Tony was more than glad to get away from that. Much to everyone’s surprise he became a deputy and worked to uphold the law. His father kept trying to bribe him, but Tony wanted nothing to do with Howard. He was perfectly happy in his little overheated flat near the Fraunces Tavern and with his small paycheck. 

He didn’t owe anybody anything and he liked it that way. He wasn’t going to get in debt to his father just because Howard wanted the law to look the other way.

Really, Tony wasn’t a young man anymore and his father was still trying to control his life. Howard and Maria still wanted him to marry some nice young thing and settle down and have children, and the thought made Tony shudder. 

Him? With children? No, thank you.

When Stark International Banking had been hit and Howard’s prize something or other was stolen, Tony had been given the case. No one wanted to deal with his father. Hell, Tony didn’t want to deal with his father. 

That had been the first time he realized just how…beautiful…the thefts were. How perfectly they were executed. 

Tony started to admire the guy.

It turned into a game. At some point, Tony found a small, beautifully carved wooden flower. No one claimed it as something that had been in their safe deposit boxes, and when one showed up at the next robbery, Tony realized that they were being left by the thief.

Tony started to actually like the guy.

And then the asshole had to leave the damn city.

And Tony, being stubborn as hell, followed him. 

Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, Chicago, and now Saint Louis.

Tony saw the wooden rose resting in the middle of the empty vault and bent over, picking it up.

He ran his fingers over it, lifting it to his nose. It smelled of wood and something else, a musk that Tony associated with his thief. He looked around the vault, at the neatly stacked safe deposit boxes, empty of money but valuables left behind. The thief almost never took anything that might have sentimental value, barring that pocket watch that had belonged to Howard, but personally Tony applauded the thief for stealing that thing. He always had thought that Howard liked it more than he liked Tony.

He noticed a folded piece of paper that had been under the rose and picked it up. It was a wanted poster with a rough sketch of the man he was chasing; long hair, shadowed eyes, stubble on his chin.

Under the offer for a reward there was a handwritten note, scrawled in hasty handwriting.

_‘Come find me where the sun meets the horizon. You’ve followed me this far, Sheriff. I’ll be waiting.’_

Tony let out a huff and shoved the wanted poster into the breast pocket of his vest. He really should just get back on the train and go back to New York. Forget about the man with the long hair that carved him little flowers and teased him through annoyingly perfect thefts and empty bottles of whiskey. Go back to his lonely life of ignoring his father, barely making ends meet, and debating whether or not to drink himself to death.

He strode out of the bank, cramming his hat back onto his head. He headed for his chestnut mare, unlooping the reins from the hitching post in front of the bank and swinging onto her back.

“Well, what do you think, Friday?” Tony asked, patting her neck. Friday snorted and mouthed at the bit, ears up as Tony turned west.

“Yeah, that’s what I think too. Let’s go get him, Friday girl.”

Tony spurred her into a light trot the moment they managed to cross the Mississippi. He had what he needed and his thief wasn’t too far ahead of him. It shouldn’t be that difficult to catch up with the man.

Tony should’ve known better than to tempt fate.

:::

Tony was getting real fed up with this guy. He was somewhere in Nevada, hot, sweaty, dirty, and he was pretty sure his ass was permanently stuck to his saddle. Frontier towns were few and far between but Tony always seemed to be one step behind this guy.

He was going to shove his ever growing collection of wooden flowers up the thief’s ass when they finally met.

He tilted his hat back as he looked up the mountain range to his right. Somewhere up there was the mining boomtown of Virginia City, quickly becoming one of the richest cities in the United States. 

“Alright, Friday girl, let’s get up there. Maybe our thief will take a break. I need to peel my ass out of the saddle.”

Friday snorted and started to trot as Tony gave her her head. Tony swayed back and forth with her gait, the heat beating down on him.

It wasn’t the same kind of heat that wrapped New York in a death grip during the summer, wet and heavy and a constant weight pushing you down. The Nevada desert was cooking him alive. His throat was dry and he felt like he was on a boat and a horse at the same time. It wasn’t a pleasant feeling.

Friday’s reins were loose in his hand as she scrambled up a trail. Tony’s head was pounding in time with her hoofbeats, sweat soaking the back of his shirt. His inner thighs were chaffed from sweat and long hours in the saddle.

He was seriously starting to regret his decision to leave everything he knew behind and follow an unknown man across the fucking desert because he left him pretty wooden flowers at banks that he robbed.

Tony Stark was clearly a bit off in the head.

The desert swam in front of him, the air shimmering in the heat of the midday sun.

A blur moved from behind a boulder and Friday shied sideways, dumping Tony in the blistering hot sand.

“Damn it, I didn’t mean to do that,” a voice said. Tony felt hands on his body and he let the heat take him.

:::

“C’mon, sheriff, wakey wakey,” a voice said. Tony felt a hand on his shoulder, shaking him gently. He groaned, head aching.

“Don’t do this to me, man,” the voice said. Tony spluttered when lukewarm water splashed him in the face.

“What the fuck?” Tony said, trying to peel his eyes open. His ass and back hurt and he had sand behind and in his ears. He must’ve fallen off his horse.

“There you are,” the voice said. Tony focused on the voice and couldn’t stop the groan that escaped him.

“You,” he said, pointing a shaking finger at the long haired thief. He took a moment to look around. They were in a small canvas tent and it seemed pitched in the shade of a tree. He thought he could hear the babbling of a nearby creek.

“Me,” the thief said, lips quirking in a smile that really shouldn’t be that attractive. “How are you feeling?”

“My ass hurts, my back hurts, I got sand in places it shouldn’t be, and my face is wet. How the hell are you?”

“Better now that you’re awake. I really didn’t mean to get you dumped off your horse.”

“Friday!” Tony gasped, sitting up.

“It’s Monday?” the thief said, pressing his hand against Tony’s head. “I didn’t think you hit your head…”

“No, my horse. Friday. Where is she?” He did his best not to lean into that rough, calloused hand, but it was warm and big and he wanted to just let the thief hold up his head, which was something he really shouldn’t be feeling about the man he had just spent the better part of two years chasing across the damn country.

“Oh, she’s tied up with Winter,” the thief said. He moved and Tony mourned the loss of that broad hand across his head. He peeled the opening of the tent back and Tony saw two horses attached to a high line, standing head to tail and swishing flies off each other’s faces. Friday was relaxed, head down and lip drooping. A grey gelding stood next to her, ears twitching in the heat of the day. 

Tony let himself relax back onto the bedroll under him and the thief dropped the tent flap. 

“Where are we and do you have a name?”

“You don’t know my name?” There was that infuriating smile again.

Tony let out an annoyed huff and closed his eyes, flinging his arm over his face. “I should know it, right? I’ve only been chasing you for two years. No one ever knew what to call you.”

“You had to have called me something in your head while you chased me,” the thief said. “Drink this.” He pressed a canteen into Tony’s hand and he forced himself to sit up, unscrewing the cap and taking long swallows of warm, metal tasting water.

“I called you many things. Most of them not suitable for polite company.”

The thief’s smile flashed like a dagger in the dark. “Well, good thing I’m the farthest thing from polite company.”

Tony rolled his eyes. He glanced over at his saddlebag and leaned over, reaching for and dragging it close. He opened it and pulled out one of the little wooden flowers, running his fingers over it.

“You liked my gifts, then.”

“Obviously,” Tony said dryly. “So, name?”

The thief tilted his head, looking at Tony through bright grey eyes. “My friends call me Bucky.”

“Are we friends?”

“We could be.”

Tony arched his eyebrow and reached for the canteen again, taking another long drink. 

“I chased your ass across the damn country and all I get is ‘my friends call me Bucky.’”

“And what made you chase me, Sheriff?”

“I’m not a sheriff. Just a deputy. Or, I was. I’m assuming I lost my job when I never showed up again. The badge was still useful in chasing your annoying ass all over hell and back.”

“Well, deputy Stark, what made you chase me?”

Tony froze. “You know who I am?”

“As you said, you’ve chased me for two years, and I had seen you around New York City before I started this. You fascinated me.”

Tony didn’t know what to say. He gave himself a moment to study the man. He had to be a solid ten years younger than Tony, at least, dark brown hair that curled at his shoulders, scruff over his jaw, intelligent grey eyes. He was, annoyingly, one of the prettiest men Tony had ever seen.

“How?”

“How what?” Bucky asked, pushing a tin can of beans at Tony. Tony took it and sniffed it, his stomach growling loudly.

“How did you see me in the city?”

“Oh, Stevie and I grew up on the streets. Saw you when you went to those society gatherings, always a different gal on your arm. Stevie and I used to pretend we could go in with you, and then you became a lawman, and that seemed even neater to us. You defied the expectations everyone held for you and did what you wanted.”

Tony stared at him, fork half frozen near his mouth. He carefully put the fork back in the can of beans.

“I was a failure,” Tony pointed out. “I failed to uphold the Stark legacy, the Stark name. Hell, I failed as a lawman as you called me, since you were the one that found me. I was always a step behind you.”

“Eat the beans,” Bucky said. “You weren’t a failure, not to us.”

Tony took a bite. The beans were lukewarm and tasted like the tin can they were in, but he was so hungry he didn’t care. He started shoveling them into his mouth, barely stopping to breathe. 

Bucky watched him, gaze soft.

“So how did you become a thief?” Tony asked, swallowing the last mouthful of beans and licking his fingers clean.

“At first it was because Stevie was always sick and needed medicine. Had to steal to get the money to buy his meds, had to steal food so we could survive. Eventually realized I was good at it, and by then you were a lawman and well, I wanted your attention.”

“So you stole Howard’s pocket watch?”

“So I stole Howard’s pocket watch. And you were put on the case.”

“You couldn’t, I don’t know, just stop me on the street to say hi?”

“Would you have given me the time of day?” Bucky asked, taking the empty tin can from Tony.

Tony opened his mouth and finally closed it, shrugging. 

“I’m a different man than I was two years ago,” Tony said. “I’m not a young man, Bucky. I thought I knew everything, thought I was better than most. Then this thief comes out of the woodwork, stealing enough money to get by, and eventually he starts leaving me these little wooden flowers. It gives me something to look forward, something out of drudgery of my life. Then he stole that pocket watch and it became personal.

“I was at the point in my life where I just didn’t care. Howard let me know how useless I was at every turn, especially when I couldn’t even catch a two bit thief. So…I left everything to chase you.”

Bucky was silent for a moment, grey eyes lidded. 

“And what do you plan to do to me now that you’ve caught me?”

Tony looked at him and shrugged. “I think you caught me, actually.”

“To be fair, I spooked your horse and dumped you on your ass.”

“Better planning than me riding through the heat of the day.”

Bucky shrugged, reclining back against the second bedroll. “So, the dashing sheriff caught his thief. Now what?”

Tony glanced at him then looked away. There were a lot of things he’d like to do to—with—Bucky. Thoughts of his mystery thief had kept warm on many a cold night, had helped alleviate the loneliness for a while at least on the trail.

In his fantasies, the thief had been faceless. A strong body pressing his into the firm ground, breath hot on his neck, fingers rough against his skin.

It was worse now that Bucky was in front of him. Real and alive and solid, breathing the same air in the shaded tent as him. 

Bucky tilted his head at Tony’s silence and stretched across the tent, fingers snatching at a cantle bag and dragging it close. He dug into it and pulled out the elusive pocket watch, dangling it in front of Tony.

Tony stared at it, almost hypnotized by the back and forth motion of it. 

“I could just give this back to you and we go our separate ways,” Bucky prompted, pushing the pocket watch into Tony’s hands. Tony’s lip curled as he stared at Howard’s name engraved on the back of it. 

“Keep starin’ at it like that and I’m gonna think you don’t want it,” Bucky said slowly.

“I don’t. Keep it for all I care. Sell it, use a hammer on it, I don’t care.” Tony’s voice was flat as he shoved the watch back at Bucky. Bucky scrambled to catch it before it slipped from his fingers and hit the ground.

“Now I gotta admit I’m at a loss of what to do,” Bucky said, shoving it back in his bag. 

Tony shrugged again, running his fingers through sweat and dirt caked in his hair. “I guess I’ll stay on at Virginia City for a while. I’m out of funds and have nothing to go back to.”

“They are lookin’ for a new sheriff, I hear,” Bucky said.

Tony nodded. He could do that.

“What about you?” Tony asked.

“Well, Stevie runs a nice little saloon up there called the Bucket of Blood. Popular place. He makes decent money from the miners and drifters.”

“That just tells me what this Stevie person does, not you.”

“Well, I’ve been gone for a while, ya know.”

“I’m well aware. You are a difficult man to catch.”

Bucky gave him a wicked smile. “That’s because most of the time I was behind you.”

“What?” Tony squawked, eyes wide.

“I always hung around to watch you at the scenes,” Bucky said, a smirk on his face. “Then I’d follow you out of town, figure the direction you were going in, and ride ahead to the next town and do it all over again.”

Tony stared, mouth hanging open. He thought back to the multitude of towns and cities he’d been to in the past two years, chasing a ghost of a thief. He had vague memories of a man in the shadows, face hidden by long hair, watching him.

“You son of a bitch,” Tony said, wonder in his voice.

Bucky grinned shamelessly, shrugging. “Couldn’t help myself. You always looked so damn good I just wanted one more look at you.”

Tony stared at him, heart in his throat. He _wanted_ to believe that he was reading the signs right. They had spent two years chasing each other across the country, Bucky leaving little gifts of carved wooden flowers and watching Tony from the shadows. 

Tony reached out slowly, hand hovering above Bucky’s wrist. He slowly took a hold of it, the flesh warm and firm beneath his fingers. He curled his fingers around Bucky’s wrist, brown eyes locked on grey.

“I’ve caught you,” Tony whispered.

“So you have,” Bucky said, just as quiet. They stared at each other, the world narrowed down to the canvas tent. Tony’s hand spasmed around Bucky’s wrist as Bucky leaned forward.

Tony tilted his head just Bucky lowered his, their lips meeting in a cautious brush. Bucky’s free hand came up to cradle the back of Tony’s head, nails against his scalp as he deepened the kiss.

Tony moaned into his mouth, the hand not clutching Bucky’s wrist coming to rest on his chest.

Bucky pulled back after a moment, breathing hard and staring at Tony. Tony swallowed, eyes half closed and lips swollen.

“There’s a creek outside the tent,” Bucky said. “We should clean up.”

Tony nodded, unsure of his ability to speak at the moment. Bucky helped him to his feet and they ducked out of the tent, Tony’s hand firmly encased in Bucky’s. He looked around the small oasis in the desert, tucked into a canyon. A creek tumbled and babbled by the tent and a ring of rocks circled the fire pit. The horses lifted their heads as the men appeared, Friday letting out a low whicker when she saw her human.

“Hey, Friday girl,” Tony said, reaching out and rubbing her forehead. The grey gelding headbutted him, ears up.

“Winter, don’t be pushy, you nag,” Bucky said, pushing the gelding back a step. 

“He’s fine,” Tony said. He let go of Bucky’s hand and ran his hands over Friday, lifting her feet and checking her legs. Bucky let him; he knew how important a horse was to anyone out on the frontier. 

Bucky rummaged through one of the nearby canvas bags and pulled out two feed sacks, filling them with grain and putting them over the horses’ heads. The two horses started munching happily, tails swishing in the slowly fading summer sun.

“This way. They’re occupied,” Bucky said, taking Tony’s hand again. He led him to the creek and stepped right up to Tony, cradling his jaw in his hand. Tony stared up at him, eyes wide. His senses were overwhelmed by the man against him.

Tony wondered if this was really happening or if the heat had permanently addled his mind. Maybe he was just lying the sagebrush somewhere, staring at the white hot sky. 

Bucky’s lips on his seemed to refute that idea, his hands in his sweaty hair, gritty with dirt, grounded him in reality. 

“Let’s get you out of these clothes,” Bucky whispered.

“Okay,” Tony said, wincing at the stupidity of his answer.

Bucky just grinned, his hands going to Tony’s waist. His fingers swiftly undid Tony’s ammo belt, carefully setting it down with the twin pistols in their calfskin holsters. “We’ll clean these after,” Bucky whispered. Tony watched the careful way Bucky handled the guns. This was clearly a man who knew weapons. Tony toed his boots off, nose wrinkling at his sweat damp socks. 

“Gross,” he muttered, sitting on a rock and peeling them off. He knelt next to the creek and held them under the water, scrubbing them against the rocky creek bed. Bucky huffed out a quiet laugh and pulled his own boots off.

“You could just put on a spare pair of socks, you know,” Bucky said, washing his own.

“This is my last pair,” Tony said with a shrug, wringing the socks out and resting them over a rock to dry. They would dry pretty quick on the sun heated black rock.

Bucky sat back on his haunches, tilting his head. He hadn’t gone through Tony’s things when he’d rounded up the chestnut mare and thrown the unconscious sheriff over the saddle to carry him back to camp, but he had noticed how light the saddlebags had been when he’d stripped the horse of her gear. 

Tony flashed him a wry smile. “Not like Howard was going to send me any money. I’ve been making do.”

“You shouldn’t have to, though,” Bucky said. “You should be living in luxury.”

“I’ve done that, Buckaroo,” Tony pointed out, “and I left it all behind to chase you.”

Bucky blinked at him and lunged forward, crushing their lips together again. “And I will never understand why, but damn, I’m thankful,” he whispered against his lips.

Tony’s fingers fisted in his shirt, deftly undoing the buttons and spreading his hands over Bucky’s broad chest.

“Jesus, do you carry your horse with those muscles?” Tony gasped, gaping at the view. Bucky’s shirt hung off his shoulders, revealing the broad plains of his stomach. Tony had seen his fair share of mostly naked men in his life, but this man was spectacular. 

Bucky threw his head back and laughed. “No, thankfully. Rebuilding the saloon from the fire that tore through Virginia City a few years ago and good livin’ gave me this body.”

“Well, damn,” Tony said, thumb brushing Bucky’s nipple. Bucky gasped, pressing his chest into Tony’s hand. Tony licked his lips, eyes locked on his hand against Bucky’s chest.

“You too, Sheriff,” Bucky said, reaching his hands forward to unbutton Tony’s shirt. Tony wriggled out of it, hoping that Bucky wouldn’t ask too many questions about the bullet scars on his chest.

Bucky stared, hand trembling as he reached out to press his hand against the mass of scars. His thumb traced the outline of the dark scars. He had to be able to feel how tense Tony was beneath his fingers.

“You’re still here,” Bucky whispered, leaning forward and brushing a kiss over the scar. Tony’s breath caught in his throat as he stared down at the head of dark hair beneath his chin.

“Former business partner of my father’s decided to try to get me out of the picture, thinking that I was going to inherit the company in the case of Howard’s untimely death. Well, I lived, Howard disowned me anyway, and Obie caught the wrong side of a bullet.”

Bucky tilted his head up and dragged his lips over Tony’s. “They all sound like assholes.”

Tony snorted, covering Bucky’s hand with his own. “You have no idea.”

Bucky kissed him again, tongue sliding along the seam of Tony’s mouth.

“Tell me this isn’t some heat induced daydream,” Tony whispered, Bucky taking advantage of his open mouth to slip his tongue between Tony’s lips.

“If it is, I don’t want to wake up,” Bucky replied, his hands moving down to Tony’s waist. He quickly undid his trousers and Tony did his best to help him get them down over his hips. Tony’s cock jutted away from his body, deep red and leaking.

“Beautiful,” Bucky said, running his hands over Tony’s chest, down his hips, over his thighs, brushing tantalizingly close to Tony’s cock but never touching it.

Tony whimpered, legs dropping open a little. It had been so damn long since he’d had the touch of another man. It had been difficult in the city. He was a man of the law and what he wanted was illegal. His right hand had been enough, or so he told himself. He hadn’t realized just how much he missed another man’s hands on him until he had Bucky touching him like he was one of the precious jewels in Howard’s vault.

Tony tugged at Bucky’s belt, fingers fumbling at the buckle. Bucky took pity on him and helped, kicking his pants off and tossing them aside. Tony stared at the naked man crouched beside him, cock heavy between his legs.

Tony brushed his knuckles over Bucky’s cock, watching as it twitched at his touch. They were both grimy, streaked with sweat and dirt from God knew how many days of hard riding through the desert.

Tony pulled away, taking a step towards the water. He gasped at the first touch of the cold stream. Bucky followed him, eyes dark with lust and cock dripping with need.

“Want to get clean before we get dirty again, hmm?” Bucky asked.

Tony arched his eyebrow and sat in the middle of the creek. “I imagine my dick tastes like sweat and leather and dirt right now, and I really want you to suck it so I figure I’d wash up first.” 

Bucky threw his head back and laughed. He had nothing against a little sweat, but he didn’t exactly want to taste a cock that tasted like leather, sweat, and dirt. 

“A true gentleman, I see,” Bucky said, joining him in the creek. He hissed as the cold water rushed around his calves.

“Of course. If there’s nothing else I learned from high society it’s that one should always wash your cock before asking another man to suck it,” Tony said dryly, scooping water up in his hands and dropping it over his chest.

Bucky snorted, sitting down next to him. His balls tightened and he whimpered slightly, pressing his thighs together.

“Cold, eh?” Tony said, smiling wryly. His erection had fled in the cold water, but he had no doubt that Bucky would be able to get it back up. 

“A bit. There’s a lake up in the Sierra mountains,” Bucky said, taking a deep breath and laying back. The water ran over his scalp, long hair tangling in the rapid current. He sat back up, cold water dripping down his shoulders and chest. “Anyway, beautiful lake. Fucking freezing.”

“How far from here?” Tony asked, laying back himself. He scrubbed at his scalp, feeling dirt and sweat wash away.

“Less than forty miles. It’s hell to get up there in the winter though,” Bucky said as soon as Tony resurfaced. He scooted closer, fingers coming to rest on Tony’s shoulders. Tony leaned back into him, eyes half closed as Bucky started to knead at his shoulders.

“I’d like to see it,” Tony said with a groan, head falling back as Bucky worked the knots out of his shoulders.

“I’ll take you up there then,” Bucky said easily. “Get you fed up a bit first.” He kissed the space behind Tony’s ear, making the older man shiver. Tony’s hands never stopped moving as he rubbed water over his body. He took particular care in cleaning his dick and balls. 

Tony couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt so damn relaxed. There was a very small part of him that wondered what the hell he was doing. He was a man of the law and it was a thief sitting behind him, kneading those magic fingers into Tony’s tense flesh. He shouldn’t be so relaxed, but he was. He trusted Bucky. 

The thought should terrify him, but it didn’t. 

“Your back is a little bruised,” Bucky whispered, kissing Tony’s shoulder.

“Gee. Maybe if someone hadn’t spooked my poor horse and dumped me in the sand,” Tony said.

Bucky had the good grace to look ashamed. “I am sorry about that. I’m sure I could make it up to you.”

“Could you now?” Tony said, leaning back into Bucky’s hands.

“I could, but we should probably get out of the water. Snowmelt makes these creeks stupidly cold.”

“Yeah, I’m rather attached to my bits and don’t want them to fall off,” Tony agreed. Bucky got to his feet, giving Tony an eyeful. Tony stared at the god of a man before him; chiseled muscles, water dripping off his body, soft, uncut cock still beautiful. Bucky smiled at him and helped Tony to his feet. Tony smiled at him, appreciating the lustful look in Bucky’s eyes. 

They sat on a rock in the shade of a tree, their skin drying quickly in the heat of the desert. 

“I’ll be right back,” Bucky said, leaning over and kissing him. Tony watched as Bucky shoved his feet back in his boots and hurried across the camp, giving Tony ample time to appreciate the view of the naked thief.

And what a view it was.

Bucky ducked into the tent and pulled out a thin blanket, tossing it over his shoulder. He held a small cantle bag in his hand as he walked back towards the horses. He checked them both, made sure they had enough slack to reach the part of the creek that was near them, and turned back to Tony.

Their eyes met across the camp and they stared at each other, two years of chasing each other across the country boiled down to this one moment. Bucky smiled, a soft, fond smile that made Tony’s heart clench with how beautiful it was. He smiled back, holding his hand out and wriggling his fingers in invitation. 

Bucky accepted, striding across the camp in nothing but his boots, blanket streaming over his shoulder like a cape. He set the cantle bag down and spread the blanket over the ground by the creek, holding his hand out to Tony.

Tony took his hand and let Bucky pull him close, their foreheads pressed together, breathing the same air.

“I believe you said something about me sucking your dick,” Bucky whispered.

“Yes,” Tony replied, cock twitching at the very thought.

Bucky sank to his knees in front of Tony, eye level with that beautiful cock in front of him. He pressed a gentle kiss against the tip, smirking at Tony’s startled gasp. His skin was still cool from the water, but Bucky knew that wouldn’t last long. He inhaled deeply, nosing around the base of Tony’s cock. His tongue flicked out, tasting Tony’s skin.

Tony whimpered, hand reaching for Bucky’s shoulder to stabilize himself. Bucky grinned up at him and took Tony’s cock in one hand. He wasn’t fully hard yet, and the thought made heat curl in Bucky’s stomach. He had seen Tony fully erect when they had stripped down by the creek before the cold had stolen their erections away; Tony was large and Bucky knew he’d never be able to swallow him all the way down when he was fully hard.

Bucky kissed the tip one more time and opened his mouth, tongue running slowly around the blunt head of Tony’s cock. Tony let out a strangled moan, fingers tightening on Bucky’s shoulders so hard he knew he was going to bruise. He slowly took Tony into his mouth, grinning around the girth in his mouth when Tony whispered his name like a prayer.

Tony was still only half hard and it let Bucky take so much more into his mouth. He felt Tony’s head bumping the back of his throat, he could feel every beat of his heart through the cock in his mouth. He cupped Tony’s balls with one hand as he started to bob his head, saliva dribbling out of his mouth and over his chin. Tony moaned again, hips working slowly as he rapidly hardened to full mast. 

Bucky pulled back, fist tight around Tony’s base. He took a moment to admire the spit slicked cock before him, pearly precome dripping from his slit. He lapped at the precome, driving his tongue into Tony’s slit. 

Tony keened, hips bucking. Bucky smirked, rubbing his cheek along Tony’s thigh.

“Please, please, Bucky!” Tony cried. He was so hard it hurt and it felt so good to have another man’s hands on him, mouth on him. He wanted to come so bad. He could see that Bucky was hard again, cock long and heavy between his legs.

“Not yet,” Bucky said, pressing a kiss against Tony’s jutting hipbone. He tugged Tony down onto the shaded blanket. Tony’s cock stood at attention away from his body, precome slowly dripping down his shaft to the thatch of hair at his base.

“Then when?” Tony grumbled, reaching down to stroke his dick. Bucky swatted his hand away.

“I’ve dreamed of riding you for two years, Sheriff. I’m going to fulfill that fantasy.”

Tony felt like he’d been punched in the gut. “Oh, fuck, yes please.”

Bucky smiled at him, that carefree, happy smile that made Tony’s heart stop. How was this man even real?

Bucky leaned across Tony’s body and snagged the cantle bag he’d brought from the tent, dragging it closer. He pulled out a glass bottle of cooking oil and Tony couldn’t stop the bark of laughter that escaped him.

“Came prepared, did ya?”

Bucky grinned, unscrewing the cap and pouring the viscous fluid onto his fingers. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Sheriff,” he drawled, rubbing his fingers together. “I needed to cook at some point.”

Tony nodded wryly. “That explains why it’s completely full.”

Bucky smacked Tony’s thigh, grinning when his cock bounced with the force of the smack. “Hush, you.”

“Who’s the lawman between the two of us?”

Bucky just snorted, adding a bit more oil to his fingers. He braced his hand next to Tony’s hip, his other hand moving behind his body.

“Oh god,” Tony whispered, eyes wide and pupils blown wide in whiskey brown eyes. Bucky threw a wink at him, head falling forward as he ran his oil slick finger around his rim. He groaned, hips rolling slightly as he pushed into his own body.

“I wanna watch,” Tony whined, propping himself up.

“Needy bastard,” Bucky moaned, but he shifted around awkwardly on his knees with one finger buried in his ass.

Tony sat up, eyes glued to the sight before him. He watched as Bucky worked his finger in and out, pucker glistening with oil.

“Add more oil,” Bucky gasped, running his middle finger around his rim. Tony grabbed the still open oil bottle and poured more between Bucky’s cheeks. The thick fluid ran over his hole and fingers, easing his way to plunge a second finger into his body. Tony watched as some of the oil dripped down Bucky’s balls, staining the thin blanket beneath his knees.

Tony let out a quiet moan and dove forward, licking the oil from the seam of Bucky’s balls. Bucky let out a strangled shout at the feel of a tongue lapping at his balls then moving up to lick at his fingers. He moaned, hole fluttering as Tony licked around his rim, tongue wiggling between his fingers. 

Bucky added another finger, impatience growing with every thrust and lick.

“Enough,” Bucky finally gasped, pulling his fingers free. Tony whined, watching Bucky’s rim tighten as soon as the intrusion was pulled out. “On your back,” Bucky said, looking over his shoulder at Tony.

Tony scrambled onto his back, moving so fast that he nearly went face first into a rock.

“Calm down, doll. Let’s not knock you out again so soon, yeah?”

“Yeah, of course, good idea. Great idea,” Tony said, finally settling onto his back. His cock rested against his belly, red and leaking, and Bucky couldn’t wait to have it inside him. He moved to straddle Tony’s waist, one hand grasping that hard, hot shaft and aiming it at his hole. Tony stared with wide eyes, hands coming up to rest on Bucky’s hips as the man went to lower himself down.

Bucky felt the blunt head of Tony’s cock against his hole, wide and hot and pressing insistently against his pucker. He couldn’t wait to have that long shaft inside him, stretching him, rubbing him, impaling him.

“Bucky,” Tony whispered, barely fighting the urge to slam up into him. 

They both moaned as the head of Tony’s cock slid past the ring of tight muscle at Bucky’s entrance. Bucky went still, panting quietly, his own cock twitching at the stimulation. 

“God, you’re beautiful,” Tony whispered, voice catching as Bucky rolled his hips and started working Tony deeper into his body.

“You’re the beautiful one,” Bucky moaned, back arching as he finally managed to take Tony’s entire length inside him. 

“We’re both gorgeous men,” Tony said, fingers tight on Bucky’s hips. Neither one moved, giving Bucky ample time to adjust to the intrusion in his body. Bucky braced his hands on Tony’s chest, thumbs playing with his nipples and grazing his scars. 

“Please, Buck,” Tony moaned. Bucky was so tight and hot around him he had nearly blown his load the moment he’d popped inside.

“Okay, yeah,” Bucky whispered, leaning down. They kissed hard, tongues sliding into each other’s mouth. Bucky shouted into the kiss as Tony snapped his hips up, eyes rolling back as Tony’s cock slammed into him. 

“You feel so good,” Tony said, hands tight on his hips as he drew nearly all the way out before pushing back in. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been with another person. There had been a few women back in the city that he had paid to suck him off, but finding men willing to take it or give it had been much harder, especially for a lawman. 

Tony wasn’t going to last long, that was for sure. 

Bucky’s cock bounced as he rode Tony, precome leaking steadily from his slit and pooling on Tony’s belly. Tony adjusted his hips and found that spot that made Bucky see stars, his shout sending a flock of quail flying through the camp.

“Buck, not gonna last much longer,” Tony grunted. He wanted to draw it out, he really did, but it’d been so long and Bucky felt so good.

Bucky lifted one of his hands and wrapped it around his shaft, rubbing in time with Tony’s hard thrusts. 

“Give it me, doll,” Bucky panted. “Let me feel ya.”

He squeezed his cock, trying to stave off his own impending orgasm. He wanted to feel Tony flood him before he came.

“Bucky!” Tony shouted, driving his cock as deep as he could into his body. Bucky felt Tony’s cock grow even harder inside him and he felt every pulse and twitch as Tony spilled his seed into Bucky’s willing hole.

Bucky keened, shouting Tony’s name to the sky, and let go of his cock. That was all it took and Bucky was spurting across Tony’s chest, some of his come landing on Tony’s chin. Bucky half collapsed on top of Tony, trying to keep his cock inside him as long as possible. He loved how full he felt even as Tony’s dick started to soften.

They heard a questioning whinny and lifted their heads. Their horses stared at them from across the camp, ears up and alert on their humans.

“Oh god, I feel like we just got caught by the kids,” Bucky grumbled. 

“Friday is very judgmental,” Tony said, fighting back a laugh.

Bucky licked at Tony’s chin, tasting his own seed, before sealing their lips together. Tony hummed into the kiss, kneading Bucky’s hips. His soft cock slid free, both men whimpering at the loss of contact. Bucky felt a rush of Tony’s seed escape when his cock pulled free and he clamped down, trying to keep as much as he could inside him.

“That was wonderful, Sheriff,” Bucky said, voice rough.

“I think you can call me Tony, you know,” Tony said.

Bucky chuckled, teeth grazing Tony’s chin. Where their skin met soon slicked with sweat and they rolled away from each other. It was far too hot for them to remain glued together, no matter how much they wanted to cuddle. 

Tony dozed in the late afternoon heat, sprawled naked on the blanket by the creek. Bucky propped himself up on his elbow and watched, a soft smile on his face. He ran his hand up and down Tony’s shoulder, smiling when the man turned to him.

“We should clean up and head into town before it gets dark,” Bucky said. 

“What, no round two?” Tony asked, pushing himself up. His chest was crusty with Bucky’s spend and the rest of his body had a sheen of sweat on it. Bucky was no better off; his butt and thighs were covered with Tony’s trying come and his skin gleaned with sweat.

“Well, I’m hopin’ to go many rounds with ya, doll, but I do have a bed at the Bucket and we can explore that second round in the safety of four walls.”

“I don’t know, I kinda liked you riding me outside.”

“Don’t get me wrong, it was great. We weren’t even interrupted by a rattlesnake,” Bucky drawled. Tony sat up suddenly, looking around wildly. Bucky threw his head back and laughed, pulling Tony into a one armed hug.

“I said we weren’t interrupted by a snake.”

“Good. I hate snakes.”

“Then we should definitely clean up. I’m sure your back would appreciate a real bed tonight. After all, you’re no young cowboy anymore.”

Tony glared at him. “You calling me old?”

Bucky grazed his knuckles over the grey hairs in Tony’s goatee. “I prefer distinguished.”

He lowered his head and kissed him, their tongues touching.

“I’ll let you get away with it this once,” Tony said against his mouth. Bucky laughed and rolled them both into the creek, ignoring Tony’s outraged shriek.

:::

They rode into Virginia City just as the sun started to set. It was a bustling mining town, miners and cowboys and old soldiers and the women that followed them milling around the dirt streets. Many called out greetings to Bucky as they rode up C Street and Bucky waved back cheerfully.

“You’re well liked,” Tony said, nodding at people who nodded to him.

“Most of the time, anyway,” Bucky said cheerfully, pulling Winter to halt outside a saloon. A hanging sign was hand painted with a bucket full of blood and proudly proclaimed itself the Bucket of Blood. He dismounted, trying not to wince at his sore asshole.

Tony grinned, immediately noticing the wince. He swung off Friday, moving a bit stiffly from being dumped unceremoniously in the dirt earlier.

“We have a stable around back for the horses,” Bucky said, leading Tony down an alley. There was a small stable with three stalls; one had a golden palamino mare who called excitedly to Winter when she saw the gelding.

“Calm down, Spangles,” Bucky said, patting the mare on the nose.

“Spangles?”

“Steve named her Stars and Stripes. Don’t ask. I call her Spangles to annoy him.”

Tony snorted, shaking his head as he unsaddled Friday and led her to the empty stall. Bucky showed him where the forage was kept and they used a hand pump to fill the bucket with water. Bucky made sure both Winter and Spangles had fresh hay and water and showed Tony where to lock up his saddle.

Tony carried one saddle bag with him as he followed Bucky back to the Bucket; it had his wooden flowers in it and he was unwilling to be parted from them. He let his eyes drift over Bucky’s ass, grinning at the slight limp.

“So, what’re going to tell this Steve when he asks about the limp?” Tony asked.

Bucky looked over his shoulder and threw Tony a wink. “That I had to break in a hot stallion.”

Tony burst out laughing as they pushed into the saloon.

“That was truly awful, Buck,” Tony said, his eyes taking a moment to adjust to the dim light. The saloon was bustling, dirt covered miners sat at nearly every table and at the bar. Tony figured that the shift in the mines must’ve just changed. Bucky waved to a big blond man behind the bar and directed Tony through the crowd.

“Buck, you’re back!” the man said, striding around the bar and crushing Bucky in a tight hug, lifting him off the ground.

“Ack, Steve, you ass, just because you’re bigger than me now doesn’t mean you can just pick me up whenever you want,” Bucky said, struggling halfheartedly in Steve’s arms.

“I haven’t seen you for two years. Of course I’m going to lift you off your feet.”

Bucky huffed out a sigh and hugged him back. Steve finally noticed Tony and a grin spread across his face. 

“He caught you!” Steve said, holding out a hand to Tony.

Tony arched his eyebrow and shook Steve’s hand, not surprised in the least by the strength of the bigger man’s grip. “More like someone spooked my horse and I got tossed into the sand.”

Steve snorted. “Wow, Bucky. Way to make a first impression. Pull up a seat, Sheriff, Buck, I’ll get you the house special.”

“Thanks, Steve,” Bucky said, sitting down gingerly on one of the barstools. Steve arched his eyebrow at the slow movement but didn’t say anything. He poured two glasses of beer, putting them down in front of the two tired men.

“Your room is untouched,” Steve said when he reappeared from the kitchen, two bowls of stew in his hands. “I’m sure we can find a room for your friend.”

“He can stay with me until he gets his own place,” Bucky said. Tony waited for Steve to protest but the blond man just nodded. 

“Sure thing. What’s your plan now, Sheriff…” he drew out Tony’s title.

“Tony,” he said, taking a big bite of stew. He groaned in appreciation and started shoveling it into his mouth. It had been awhile since he’d had something more than beans in a tin can. He paused to take a breath and lifted his head.

“Bucky said the town was looking for a sheriff. I’m not going back. There’s nothing for me there,” Tony said with a shrug. “This seems like as good a place as any to start over. At least…” he paused, glancing at Bucky. “At least I’d be among friends here.”

Bucky smiled at him and nodded, eating his own stew steadily. 

“Any friend of Buck’s is a friend of mine,” Steve said. “And yeah, we are looking for a new sheriff. The last one ran off with the preacher’s daughter.”

Tony snorted. “That actually happens?”

“It does here,” Steve said cheerfully. 

Tony felt warmth blossom in his chest. Maybe he could actually be happy here in this mining town, with Bucky.

He finished his stew and Steve looked between them.

“You both look exhausted. Tony, the jail is up on B Street, one block up. You can go there tomorrow but I think you need sleep first.”

“I should probably clean my clothes so I can make a decent impression,” Tony said, looking down at his threadbare clothing.

“We can take you to Nat’s in the morning. She can whip up something real nice for ya.”

Tony glanced away. He definitely couldn’t afford a new wardrobe.

“Don’t worry about it,” Bucky whispered in his ear. “We can sell that pocket watch you love so much and make some money.”

Tony threw his head back and laughed. 

Yeah, that sounded like a hell of a plan.

:::

The next afternoon Tony walked into an empty Bucket of Blood. Steve and Bucky sat at the bar, talking quietly and drinking. They turned to face Tony and Bucky’s face split into a grin when he saw the new shield on Tony’s chest.

“You’re looking at the new sheriff of Virginia City,” Tony said, hooking his thumbs in his belt loops.

Bucky let out a whoop and surged to his feet, capturing Tony in a hug and spinning him around. Tony laughed, shoving playfully at him.

“Put me down! That’s the sheriff you’re manhandling!”

“Ah, I don’t care,” Bucky said, dropping his head for a kiss. Steve wolf whistled and got up, pouring Tony a celebratory drink.

“Congratulations, Sheriff Stark,” Steve said, pushing the drink into his hand.

“Thanks,” Tony said, taking a long drink. He felt lighter than he had in years. He was free from the expectations of his father, of everyone who thought he never amounted to anything. He’d sent the receipt he’d gotten for the sale of Howard’s pocket watch back to his father, his signature accepting the rather handsome sum of silver and gold scrawled across the bottom of the page. His father would immediately know he wasn’t coming back.

“I got something for ya,” Bucky said, reaching into his pocket. He pulled out a little wooden rose and pressed it gently into Tony’s hand. Tony smiled, running his thumb over the freshly whittled wood.

“And here I thought I was going to have to tell you to rob another bank to get another one,” Tony said, pressing a gentle kiss against the flower.

“Nah, you can get them whenever you want,” Bucky said.

“So you’re not arresting Buck, I take it?” Steve asked, joining them at the bar.

Tony snorted. “For what?”

“Oh, I don’t know, stealing your heart?” Steve said, a wry grin on his face.

Bucky and Tony both groaned at that, Bucky shoving Steve off the stool onto the floor. Steve hooted with laughter, scrambling away as Bucky tried to tackle him.

Tony shook his head, grabbing Bucky’s arm and tugging him close.

“Well, he’s not wrong,” Tony said, grinning up at the younger man. Bucky’s eyes went soft and he gave Tony that happy smile. 

“He’s not, huh?” Bucky whispered.

“Nope,” Tony said, popping the p. Bucky smiled and kissed him, one hand resting over the badge on Tony’s chest.

Tony slid his arms around Bucky’s waist and deepened the kiss. Yes, he could get used to this, to Bucky.

He thought he could finally be happy.

:::

Bucky stood in the shadows outside the Bucket, eyes locked on the sheriff as he walked down the dirt road. Tony glanced at him, lips curling in a smirk as he lowered his hat onto his head.

Their eyes met and Bucky grinned, slipping away. 

Tony smirked, tapping his badge and sliding into the shadows.

He’d already followed his thief across the country. 

He’d follow Bucky anywhere.

**Author's Note:**

> Virginia City is a real place in Nevada, and the Bucket of Blood is still operational today. The entire city is a ghost town and a historical landmark and a very cool place to visit. The lake Bucky mentions in the Sierra Nevada mountains is Lake Tahoe, a very cold, very beautiful lake. If you're ever in northern Nevada, I highly recommend visiting both places.
> 
> comments and kudos are love.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Winteriron Reverse Bang Art](https://archiveofourown.org/works/21476233) by [feignedsobriquet](https://archiveofourown.org/users/feignedsobriquet/pseuds/feignedsobriquet)


End file.
